Letters to the Editor Feb. 12, 2010

OBAMA: All that promise wasted

Obama had his chance to become one of the greatest presidents of modern time.

All he had to do was keep his word to the American voters. I really thought Obama was going to do what he said in his campaign. Obama promised to reform the earmark process and cut wasteful spending.

Instead, President Obama signs the Omnibus Appropriations Bill that spends $12.8 billion on 9,287 earmarks. Does this sound like less wasteful spending and earmark reform?

He then made a huge mistake by trying to overhaul the entire health care system when all it needs is a little work. Instead of getting moderate Democrats and moderate Republicans to work together to reform the insurance companies on CSPAN (like he said he would do), he turns it over to the far left of the Democratic Party and you know the rest.

The day President Obama was sworn into office he should have been on the economy and jobs like a laser beam. Instead he waits till a year later to really try and get the economy rolling again. I hope it works this time. Obviously the stimulus didn't work.

The president has had a tough year and so has America. I think our president had a chance to become a real uniter. Instead he's turned out to be the most divisive president in modern history. Even as Republicans won elections in Massachusetts, New Jersey and Virginia, he still pushes his liberal socialist agenda.

GENE and CANDACE LAMMON

Coeur d'Alene

HEALTH CARE: Put differences aside now

Most Americans know that even if they have health care insurance, they are paying more and more out-of-pocket, less and less is actually covered, and coverage can be denied for arbitrary reasons. That doesn't even address the millions who, for whatever reason, do not have health care and resort to expensive emergency rooms where we all get to pay the bill. In spite of the deafening political spin, this problem is something that has to be addressed sooner rather than later even if we don't like all parts of the solution.

At the very least we need to slow down the spiraling costs and make sure all citizens have access to care. Let's recognize our need to come together to find solutions that, although imperfect, will keep Americans healthy and our economy growing. I encourage Congress to continue to look for the health care reform our nation needs before it is too late.

BEV MOSS

Coeur d'Alene

INSURANCE: Facility shouldn't be blocked

I am writing about an issue of fairness and one that should be of great importance to seniors and those who care for them. There is a hospital in Post Falls called Northwest Specialty Hospital that has been built and staffed by a great group of local physicians who saw a need and filled it. Having used it myself I cannot praise it highly enough. I have just recently become a member of Blue Cross True Blue Plan and have, as a result, become aware of some disturbing things.

I have no personal grievance with my treatment from True Blue but it is offensive to me that this wonderful, little hospital should be barred from enrolling in the BC network for no obvious reason other than local politics. They have repeatedly tried to become a participating facility only to constantly be denied, thereby closing their doors to the True Blue Membership when the Participating Physicians, who built and staff that hospital, try to give their patients the necessary treatments they require. These doctors pay a hefty price to these plans to help cover us - we pay premiums expecting to utilize the hospital that they, in turn, have built for us. This, then, forces the patients to either abandon the medical treatments altogether, or seek other physicians who practice elsewhere. This has nothing to do with HMOs - this is a deliberate blocking of that hospital by whatever powers and it is harmful to all of us.

In an area such as ours where we are blessed to have dedicated physicians who take the risks of beginning care centers, specialty hospitals and other facilities for our benefit, we should come to their defense when unnecessary and, apparently, politically motivated actions are taken to limit or interfere with their abilities to practice the best possible health care for our well being. They are doing their part and it is up to the patients to make their voices heard. I am making an appeal to all concerned that whatever petty issues are involved be resolved to let our great medical community come together for everyone's benefit.

There is enough to go around - we could still use more - but I think the important thing is to remember that "first do no harm."

MARY McCULLOUGH

Rathdrum

ABORTION: Privacy and right to life

In the Feb. 6 "My Turn" column, Bill Laffen asks this question: "Which life is more important anyway, the mother or the fetus?" But the question framed by the Court in Roe v. Wade is the woman's so-called right to privacy; the privacy accorded to her to control her own body.

If, as many believe, a new individual (life) begins at conception and is therefore a real person with all the God-given rights and responsibilities delineated in the U.S. Constitution, then the life of the mother and that of the fetus are of equal value; one is not more important than the other.

So, the question comes down to the nature of privacy, and what sorts of things cannot be done even in privacy. The law is pretty clear in this regard: You may not steal from people even in the privacy of your own home. You may not rape, even your own wife, in the privacy of your own home. You may not molest children, or hurt people in privacy. And, even more important, you may not murder anyone in the privacy of your own home, even in the privacy of your own bedroom.

A woman has control over her own body, just as parents have control over their own homes, and the children who reside there. As no parent is free, legally (or morally) to murder children in their own home, neither is a woman free to murder her own child in the privacy of her own body. The baby within her womb is protected in the same way that a child is protected within the walls of his home.

The taking of any human life is a very serious matter and God will not hold harmless those who do so, whether it may be the life of a pre-born individual, or after birth. It is the same life, just different stages of development. Further, those who counsel others to kill their own offspring are equally guilty of a crime. As long as America continues to condone the taking of any innocent life we cannot expect God's blessing. Have we learned nothing from what Germany did during the Second World War? "!uc!2026therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." ( Deut 30:19)

JIM HOLLINGSWORTH

Coeur d'Alene

TAXES: Better ways to finance nation

"The only way government can increase income is to increase tax revenue," said Sid Wurzburg (Feb. 5). That's the problem!!! Government's solution to any problem is always to increase tax revenue - take more from working citizens.

Consider your personal situation: all you "need" is food, clothing, shelter and probably some kind of medical protection. Everything else is discretionary - it's stuff you want, but don't really need. That second car, your three TVs, eating out, vacations, Christmas presents, etc. - excess! Greed! If you can't afford your needs, some of your excesses have to go.

The government never cuts the excesses, because they translate into votes. It's much easier to make you envy your neighbor and take more from him - and more - and more. Make him pay more "because he can."

Wurzburg calls for immediate tax increases on people making over some arbitrary amount per year. By what right does he make a claim on someone else's property? Tax-and-spend governments will always "need" more money from you because they engage in all sorts of national programs that are not their business. Today they exploit some people's jealousy of those who have more by promising to redistribute that wealth. Tomorrow they will decide that the threshold for "having more than is fair" should be set lower and then Wurzburg will have to pay more.

The eventual goal is absolute equality of outcome in everyone's lives. That's called communism.

HANS NEUMANN

Spirit Lake

TRAILS: Not happy about road block

On Sunday, Jan. 31, the Forest Service set up a roadblock at the mouth of Fishhook Creek to stop snowmobilers gathering for the St. Joe Snowriders' Breast Cancer Benefit ride. They weren't there to check required Idaho state snowmobile registrations, a fairly common practice, but rather to enforce a Shoshone County ordinance requiring individual "groomer fees."

Shoshone is one of only two Idaho counties that attempts to collect an additional groomer fee, a practice that is of dubious legality since it amounts to a double charge for trail grooming. That expense is already part of the state-required snowmobile registration fee. This was the first attempt by the Forest Service to enforce the Shoshone county fee even though it has been a point of contention for a couple of years.

After some discussion, the ride was finally allowed to continue. Unfortunately, the club has had to cancel the upcoming Memorial Ride as well as further rides in the area until this controversy can be resolved and further harassment of the group avoided. A number of out-of-state and out-of-town riders who participated in the event have contacted the club to say they will not be returning. And, unfortunately, this situation impacts area businesses from St. Maries all the way up the St. Joe to Avery, businesses that depend upon snowmobile enthusiasts for winter income.

The local snowmobile club is basically a nonprofit organization, sponsoring rides for local charities such as Breast Cancer, St. Joe Search and Rescue and Special Olympics. The club also supports the community by doing benefits, giving a yearly scholarship to a high school senior, contributing to Washington, D.C., and Boise-bound student trips, as well as donating to school organizations and the Blue Ribbon Coalition. The Memorial Ride proceeds were earmarked for improvements on the Forest Service Roundtop Cabin. They are required to pay the insurance for these events, groom trails and file paperwork. Many of the members have gone on similar rides in other states like Washington, Montana and Wyoming where they might occasionally see someone from their state Parks and Recreation checking registrations, but a roadblock? Come on!

DON and MARTHA DARTER

St. Maries

HEALTH: Don't wait for reform

Have you seen this latest data? Health care costs increased last year at the fastest rate in more than a half century.

Health care spending rose to an estimated $2.5 trillion in 2009, or $8,047 per person - and is now projected to nearly double by 2019.

A lot of people are saying we can't afford health care reform. The reality is we will be worse off if we don't pass reforms that start limiting skyrocketing costs. In the U.S., unpaid medical bills are the primary cause of personal bankruptcy.

American health care is scandalous - more money is spent per person per year in the U.S. than anywhere else on Earth. And yet, no developed country provides coverage for fewer people than we do or ranks lower in the care we provide. We do a great job caring for the few. My family's coverage has increased 30 percent the past three years and we have not used our policy for anything but annual exams.

We can't afford to kick this down the road for another decade - or even another year. We need to pass health reform now.

SUSAN MITCHELL

Cataldo

Hear ye, hear ye!

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